


She Will Be Loved

by jspear



Category: Hunger Games Series - All Media Types, Hunger Games Trilogy - Suzanne Collins, The Hunger Games (Movies)
Genre: Drama, F/M, Gen, Other, Romance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2015-01-03
Updated: 2015-01-03
Packaged: 2018-03-05 05:39:43
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,779
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3108152
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/jspear/pseuds/jspear
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Katniss wasn't looking for anything other than a change in life, when she returned home. However, life apparently had other plans for her by placing the one thing she had been looking for, right in front of her. Peeta Mellark, in all his entirety, captured her attention from the very start.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

I stared into the dancing orange flames, listening to the quiet crackling of the burning wood, contemplating when my boyfriend might waltz through the door to our penthouse. Silence had been my constant companion for what had been hours now. Today was supposed to have been a celebration but apparently that had slipped Marvel's mind—three years wasn't anything anyways.

With the final burning sip of my whiskey, I set the now empty crystal glass on the coffee table and walked into the dining room. The candles I had lit earlier were nothing but wax puddles on the table cloth and the plates of roast and vegetables cold, forgotten...much like myself. Without much more of a glance made my way to the bedroom.

Halfway through taking off my make-up, I heard the door slam and heavy foot-falls approaching. “Katniss? Where the hell you at?” the loud voiced called.

Great, he was drunk and sounded pissed off. “In here honey,” I answered immediately. I hated when he was like this—I had the small fear in the back of my mind that he'd end up hurting me. The bathroom door pushed open, revealing Marvel with blood-shot eyes and a disheveled appearance.

“You weren't gonna wait up or what?”

“I've been waiting for hours for you, excuse me if midnight isn't late enough,” I barked back, now angrier than I'd previously been.

“Whatever, quit being a bitch. A simple yes or no would have sufficed. Now can you get out, I have to take a piss,” he slurred, not even waiting for me to leave before he began unzipping his pants.

The edge of the bed sunk with my weight as I sat there waiting for his next move. It had been like this for months now and I couldn't figure out what had changed. Our relationship had started out haphazardly but we'd found a rhythm, we'd been happy for a long time now, but this year had just been on the downward spiral it seemed.

Nostalgically, I walked over to our shared dresser and picked up a photo of us at the opening of Marvel's dad's company. Marvel's looking down at me and cupping my chin, a mega-watt smile on both our faces—that day had been a great one. We'd just found out that his father had promoted Marvel to marketing director, his biggest dream. The more I think about it though, we haven't been that couple in a long time.

The clunking of a shoe against the floor caught my attention. Marvel was undressing, throwing his discarded clothing on the floor, right next to the hamper. Fucking men.

“Where were you tonight, babe?” I tried to sound concerned and not the least bit upset, but I knew it didn't come out like that when Marvel jerked his head up, his jaw clenched.

“Why does it matter? You trying to be my fucking mom or what? Just cause she's dead, doesn't mean I need another one. Seventeen years of her was enough.”

“I'm not trying to be your damn mom, just your concerned girlfriend. It was our three-year anniversary tonight, I'd like to know where you were. I made dinner, bought your favorite wine and cheesecake from the bakery on the corner of Main and Murphy.” My voice cracked towards the end, a tear rolling down my olive cheek.  
“Work was stressful, I went out with some guys from work. Thanks for the cheesecake Kat, drinking made me hungry, that sounds like an excellent snack right now.” He swayed towards me, trying to give me a kiss but I turned my cheek, his lips landing on the corner of my jaw.

“Don't start with me, a kiss isn't going to fix this! You fucked up and you can't even say sorry, you say thanks for the cheesecake? Tell me how that's okay. Are you kidding me?” Marvel stepped back and stared at me, his face becoming red and his eyes darker.

“You're such a bitch, I don't even know how we're still together. I have women all over me when I go out and at work, but I come home to this. What bullshit,” he slurred, pushing past me on his way out.

“I cannot believe you just said that to me, what's your deal?” I demanded, all but running after him.

“You! You're my deal, get the fuck out of my house. I'm tired of you whining and trying to act like my mom. Quit being such a drag, you're twenty-two, not thirty.”

The tears just kept rolling down my cheeks as I stood there, staring at him eating the chocolate cheesecake. This felt like the scene of a movie, not real and real just the same. He was half done with it when he finally looked up at me, “Why are you still here? I told you to get the hell out of my house?”

Not even giving him the satisfaction of a response, I turned on my heel, padding back into the bedroom. A slight chuckle escaped my lips while I packed my duffel bag with enough clothes to last me a few weeks. The essentials were thrown on top before I zipped it up, throwing it over my shoulder.

“Call me when you decide you want to be the guy I fell in love with. I don't like this new douche bag guy you've decided you want to be, Marvel. Don't bother calling me, I'll be back in a few weeks. If things are better, than maybe we can work this out. If not, I'll get all my stuff then.”

Marvel acted like he was going to stop me but then stopped mid-stride, staring. “I'm taking Atlas too. You'll be completely without any responsibilities, have a good time by yourself.” With that, I slapped my leg and let out a low whistle, calling the dog. The large German Shepherd ran past me and out the open door.

Three years of my life, up in the air, just like that. It was surreal and freeing all at the same time. I didn't have anywhere else to go, as my best friend Jo was out of the country at the moment. That left me with only one other option: Home.


	2. Chapter 2

Three weeks. Three weeks had passed since I'd walked out of that apartment, and Marvel hadn't called once. I wasn't sure if it was because I'd told him not to or because he really didn't care that I'd left. Either way, I didn't really care. These past weeks had been some of the most invigorating days I'd had since I'd been dating the guy. Atlas and I had seen every important site that was offered between Panem and Portland. What started out as only a ten hour drive had turned into an adventure that took my mind off of all the shortcomings that filled my life. Nothing but free time and my best friend...but it was time to go home.

I'd studiously avoided Mason for four years and the idea of actually having to go back, had me on edge. Every green sign that I'd seen in the last day pushed my heart to pound harder, faster. It's not like growing up there was awful or I had a closet full of skeletons that I'd have to face, but it was the place my family fell apart.

We lost my dad the summer before I turned sixteen, to an accident involving a lumber truck. He never had a chance. It wouldn't have been so devastating, but my mom lost it after he died. She sat for days on the back porch of our house staring out into the forest like something was out there. Eventually I decided we'd lost her too, and it was up to me to care for my sister Prim, who was only ten at the time.

I put food on the table and worked at the bakery downtown, making sure we had money to pay bills and put gas in the truck, all while my mom sat there, doing nothing for us. Just before graduation, she decided she'd wallowed in her self pity enough and began to try to mother us again. Prim loved it but I hated her for it—where was she when we needed her? When I needed her? Graduation couldn't have come soon enough after that.

I received that small black folder and two weeks later I was gone. I didn't look back in the least, I knew that Prim would be okay because my mom was back, but it was time to live my life for myself.

It was in south California, at college for Environmental Biology and Environmental Conservation, that I met Marvel almost a year later. He was the breath of fresh air I'd been looking for—he didn't ask me about my past and he never looked at me with pity because I was the sad girl who's family had fallen apart. We just had fun, and we fell in love.

For that reason alone, I guess that's why I stuck around for the last year, even though things we're falling apart. I had a innate drive to keep things together and without a doubt, I'd still be in that apartment trying act like nothing was wrong if Marvel hadn't told me to leave. But I'm glad he did, four years of running away is tiring.

 

“Altas, that was nasty. At least roll down the window next time,” I admonished. He cocked his head and looked at me from his perch in the passenger seat, understanding nothing I had just said. For some reason, on this last three hour stretch from Portland to Mason, he had been cutting creepers like no other. I cracked the window of my truck, “Never again am I feeding you brisket tacos. Never.”

It was dusk, my least favorite time of the day. I always felt like this was the in between time of the day, that it couldn't make up its mind whether it wanted to be dark or light. The beautiful orange and pink sunset had long been gone and this odd grey, blue color filled the sky, leaving an oppressive feeling behind. Dusk was a reminder of my life felt right now—on the edge, teetering between two unknowns, unable to make a go of it one way or the other.

An audible sigh graced my lips as my headlights shined on the welcome sign of my hometown. It had been freshly painted, the words “Welcome to Mason, WA. Pop. 7, 145” in bright gold lettering. Guess someone likes it here.

I drove down the main road with no delay, the three traffic lights all synchronously green. Everything still looked the same and it annoyed me slightly. I'd changed and seen the so many things, and here was this podunk town, still the damn same.  
Gravel crunched beneath the truck tires as I pulled into the driveway of my childhood home. I cut the engine and hoped out, grabbing my duffel bag from the backseat. “Here goes nothing,” I muttered to myself as I quietly stepped up the creaking wooden stairs. Atlas followed close behind, acting as uneasy as I felt. The old screen door was slightly ajar and I pushed my closed first past, knocking three times on the door.

A few seconds passed and it swung open, revealing a girl with long blond hair. “Katniss?”  
Three weeks. Three weeks had passed since I'd walked out of that apartment, and Marvel hadn't called once. I wasn't sure if it was because I'd told him not to or because he really didn't care that I'd left. Either way, I didn't really care. These past weeks had been some of the most invigorating days I'd had since I'd been dating the guy. Atlas and I had seen every important site that was offered between Panem and Portland. What started out as only a ten hour drive had turned into an adventure that took my mind off of all the shortcomings that filled my life. Nothing but free time and my best friend...but it was time to go home.

I'd studiously avoided Mason for four years and the idea of actually having to go back, had me on edge. Every green sign that I'd seen in the last day pushed my heart to pound harder, faster. It's not like growing up there was awful or I had a closet full of skeletons that I'd have to face, but it was the place my family fell apart.

We lost my dad the summer before I turned sixteen, to an accident involving a lumber truck. He never had a chance. It wouldn't have been so devastating, but my mom lost it after he died. She sat for days on the back porch of our house staring out into the forest like something was out there. Eventually I decided we'd lost her too, and it was up to me to care for my sister Prim, who was only ten at the time.

I put food on the table and worked at the bakery downtown, making sure we had money to pay bills and put gas in the truck, all while my mom sat there, doing nothing for us. Just before graduation, she decided she'd wallowed in her self pity enough and began to try to mother us again. Prim loved it but I hated her for it—where was she when we needed her? When I needed her? Graduation couldn't have come soon enough after that.

I received that small black folder and two weeks later I was gone. I didn't look back in the least, I knew that Prim would be okay because my mom was back, but it was time to live my life for myself.

It was in south California, at college for Environmental Biology and Environmental Conservation, that I met Marvel almost a year later. He was the breath of fresh air I'd been looking for—he didn't ask me about my past and he never looked at me with pity because I was the sad girl whose family had fallen apart. We just had fun, and we fell in love.

For that reason alone, I guess that's why I stuck around for the last year, even though things we're falling apart. I had a innate drive to keep things together and without a doubt, I'd still be in that apartment trying act like nothing was wrong if Marvel hadn't told me to leave. But I'm glad he did, four years of running away is tiring.

 

“Altas, that was nasty. At least roll down the window next time,” I admonished. He cocked his head and looked at me from his perch in the passenger seat, understanding nothing I had just said. For some reason, on this last three hour stretch from Portland to Mason, he had been cutting creepers like no other. I cracked the window of my truck, “Never again am I feeding you brisket tacos. Never.”

It was dusk, my least favorite time of the day. I always felt like this was the in between time of the day, that it couldn't make up its mind whether it wanted to be dark or light. The beautiful orange and pink sunset had long been gone and this odd grey, blue color filled the sky, leaving an oppressive feeling behind. Dusk was a reminder of my life felt right now—on the edge, teetering between two unknowns, unable to make a go of it one way or the other.

An audible sigh graced my lips as my headlights shined on the welcome sign of my hometown. It had been freshly painted, the words “Welcome to Mason, WA. Pop. 7, 145” in bright gold lettering. Guess someone likes it here.

I drove down the main road with no delay, the three traffic lights all synchronously green. Everything still looked the same and it annoyed me slightly. I'd changed and seen the so many things, and here was this podunk town, still the damn same.  
Gravel crunched beneath the truck tires as I pulled into the driveway of my childhood home. I cut the engine and hoped out, grabbing my duffel bag from the backseat. “Here goes nothing,” I muttered to myself as I quietly stepped up the creaking wooden stairs. Atlas followed close behind, acting as uneasy as I felt. The old screen door was slightly ajar and I pushed my closed first past, knocking three times on the door.

A few seconds passed and it swung open, revealing a girl with long blond hair. “Katniss?”


End file.
